recruiter.txt

Good day!
 
I’m going to decline what I’m sure was a lovely invitation. I recognize you have a job to do — namely, get a conversation going about a job offer or your recruiting service — but I am not a lead for you, and my answer is no. If I ignored your message, you might reasonably wonder whether I didn't get it, or whether I was considering it. This might reasonably lead to a follow-up. Let me be clear: I received your email and thank you, but I am not interested. Please don't follow up. 
 
There are plenty of recruiting companies out there, too many security openings to fill and talent like that of myself is scarce. If I accepted even a 15-minute appointment of each recruiter that approached me once a year, I wouldn’t have any time to dedicate to my job, which is helping Schuberg Philis make wiser risk choices for ourselves and our customers.
 
But in an effort to give you a response, I’ve drafted this form note that I can quickly send to minimize my costs of you getting to a “no.” I’m sure you’ve got many questions, most of them aimed at converting my “no” to a “yes” (hint, not going to happen), so I’ve included a brief FAQ:
 
Q: Can I keep you on my mailing list?
A: Please remove me, unless you have documented evidence that I willfully opted into it. Odds are, you either got this list from a conference or paid somebody money for it. If you have a way to mark me as “don’t contact,” please do so.
 
Q: Can you refer me to someone else at Schuberg Philis / in the security field?
A: No. I never do blind references. If I make an introduction, I will get permission first from the target, and therefore I will be investing my time and reputation. So cold intros are almost never going to get that.
 
Q: How do you decide who to talk to?
A: Currently I'm not talking to anybody. I really, really, really enjoy my current job and Schuberg Philis as an employer.
 
Q: Great, can I call back next quarter?
A: No. In fact, be aware that I never suggest a recruiter to call/email back at a set time, so if you start with, "Frank, I’m following back up as you suggested…” note that I’ll stop reading there.
 
Q: But I'm not a recruiter, I just want to remain in contact with you! Can’t you take time?
A: My job is a really busy one. However, if we both attend the same conference, I'm happy for you to buy me a drink and chat in the bar. I will usually comment on conferences I attend on LinkedIn and Twitter (@seccubus)
 
Q: Can you accept my LinkedIn invite so I can follow you?
A: You can follow me without us having to connect.

Q: Who is the right person to reach at your company?
A: My employer also has an excellent FAQ for recruiters: https://schubergphilis.com/en/faq